Heavenly Holiday Desserts: Pies and Other Treats for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Heavenly Holiday Desserts: Pies and Other Treats for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Pies, cakes, cookies, tarts  the holidays are the perfect time to enjoy some of the most flavorful, indulgent desserts that can come out of your kitchen. If you are looking for a special holiday dessert to make this year, you've come to the right place. Try one of these recipes; they're sure to be the hit of the meal.

Need more food ideas for the holiday season? Check out our collections of Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes.

Pear-Cranberry Hand Pies

Peppermint Bark

These traditional holiday treats aren't worth buying when they're so simple to make. Try packing them in a festive tin or clear plastic bags tied with ribbons to make a beautiful gift with all the colors of the season.

Free-Form Apple Tart

We usually makes this dessert with Arkansas Black apples; the dense, tart apples are harvested late in the season, making them a good Thanksgiving choice. Granny Smiths are an easier-to-find alternative.

Cherry-Almond-Chocolate Clusters

The combination of crunchy toasted almonds and chewy sweet-tart cherries covered in rich dark chocolate is about as close to the definition of "pure pleasure" as you can possibly get. Close your eyes as you eat one for the maximum effect.

Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake

David Guas, co-author of the cookbook DamGoodSweet, tops his apple Bundt cake with a nicely salty streusel of pecans and toasted rolled oats. He bakes the streusel on its own to make it extraordinarily crisp, then pats it over the warm cake right out of the oven.